Marcus Chong

Marcus Chong
Born Marcus Wyatt
(1967-07-08) July 8, 1967
Seattle, Washington, USA
Known for
Parent(s)
  • Martin Wyatt

Juanita Wyatt

Awards 1991 Theatre World Award

Marcus Chong (born Marcus Wyatt;[1] July 8, 1967)[2] is an American actor. His best-known roles are Huey P. Newton in Panther (1995), directed by Mario Van Peebles, and Tank the Operator in The Matrix (1999).

Early life

Chong was born Marcus Wyatt in Seattle, Washington to an African American father and a Chinese American mother. His father, Martin Wyatt, was a sports reporter in San Francisco for KGO-TV.[3] Chong was adopted in 1978 by Tommy Chong and his second wife Shelby Fiddis.

Career

Chong began acting at age nine. His first role was portraying the young Frankie Warner in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations (1979). Wyatt was a guest star in Little House on the Prairie, in "Blind Journey" part 2.[4]

Chong originated the role of student Lee Cortez in the Broadway production of Stand-Up Tragedy,[2] written by Bill Cain which opened at the Criterion Center Stage Right and closed in October 1990 after 13 performances.[5] The short-lived role never-the-less earned him a 1991 Theatre World Award; he was also nominated Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play.

In the early 1990s, Chong played lead character Miguel Mendez on the TV show Street Justice. He later appeared in the Vanishing Son action series as Fu Qua Johnson.

In 1999, Chong appeared as Tank the Operator in The Matrix. In May 2003 Chong filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles County Superior Court against Warner Bros and AOL Time Warner, saying Warner was in breach of a 1998 verbal agreement, and a 2000 contract to continue the character of Tank in the film's two sequels.[6] It was reported that a breakdown in talks caused by his salary demands prompted The Wachowskis to write Chong's character out of the second and third films in the series.[6]

In 2001, Chong appeared in Season 3 of the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ("Inheritance").

More recently he had a role in season 4 of Burn Notice.[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1980 The Reference Section Lead Short film
1980 Cheech & Chong's Next Movie Johnny
1980 Blood Beach 2nd Kid
1988 Evil Altar Troy Long
1990 The Knife and Gun Club George Television film
1991 Flight of Black Angel Dragonfly Television film
1992 Venice/Venice Guest at Party
1992 American Heart Terry Cosmos
1994 Vanishing Son Fu Qua Johnson Television film
1994 Vanishing Son II Fu Qua Johnson Television film
1994 Vanishing Son IV Fu Qua Johnson Television film
1995 Panther Huey Newton
1996 Pure Danger Freethrow Direct-to-video
1997 The Uncontrollable Professor Chucky
1997 Fatal Fight Kevin
1998 High Frequency Jordan Barnes
1999 The Matrix Tank
2005 The Crow: Wicked Prayer War
2009 Concrete River Base Short film
2013 Son Shine Darrell Brown Short film
2013 Not 4 Sale Harry Belafonte Short film

TV

Year Title Role Notes
1978 Little House on the Prairie Samson Episode: "Blind Journey: Part 2"
1979 Roots: The Next Generations Frankie Warner 2 episodes
1979 The Lazarus Syndrome Jerry Episode: "Peace and Love, Willie Jackson"
1979 Dallas Jimmy Monroe Episode: "The Heiress"
1982 The Facts of Life Young Boy Episode: "Starstruck"
1989 Hard Time on Planet Earth Tim Episode: "The Way Home"
1989 Dragnet Billy Roberts Episode: "The Connection"
1991–1993 Street Justice Miguel Mendez 24 episodes
1995 Chicago Hope Ramsey Coleman Episode: "A Coupla Stiffs"
2000 Linc's Ken Episode: "People Like Us"
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Darrell Guan Episode: "Inheritance"
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent John "Johnny" West Episode: "Seizure"
2009 Numb3rs Jones Episode: "Ultimatum"
2010 Burn Notice Caleb Episode: "Brotherly Love"

References

External links

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